Track-buffer



2 `Sheets--Sheet l.

Patented API- 101 18%:

(No Model.)

R. P. GARSED.

TRACK BUFFER. No. 380,680.

N. PETERS. Pham-Lixhogmgmer4 washingmn, D4 t;

(No Model.) Y 2 Sheet-Sheet 2.

' R. P. GARSED.

TRACK BUFFER.`

Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

ooOQoooo O 0 UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT P. GARSED, OF NORRISTOVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACK-BUFFER.

SPECIFICATION forming pari; of Letters Patent No. 380,680l dated April l0, 1888.

Application filed December 10, 1887. Serial No. 257,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT P. GARsnD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Norristown, Montgomery county, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Track-Buffers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to furnish a new and improved track-buffer for operation at the terminals of railways in arresting motion of a moving train when said train would move in advance of the point desired; and it relates more particularly to mechanism by which the device is restored to its startingpoint, the major part of the device being already patented to me by patents numbered 308,096, 318, 462, 318,463, 330,009, and 341,568.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side view of the device upon a railroad-track. Fig. 2 is a top view of one'of the housings. Fig. 3 is a front view of the device without the housings; Fig. 4, a top View without the weight and its supporting mechanism being shown, and also without other parts of the device being shown; Fig.' 5, a side view of the under friction-bar with chain fastened to rod of the spring-chambers, which serves as a medium by which the apparatus is restored to its rst position; Fig. 6, a bottom view of the weight with spring-pockets and supporting-rod openings shown; Fig 7, a topview of the same; Fig. 8, a side view of a flanged rod which passes upward through the weight and holds the spring, through the center of which it also passes, in position; Fig. 9, a side view of a shackle which screws on top of the flanged rod, and, through the medium of a coupling bar, is attached to the weight-chains; Fig. 10, a bottom view of the same; Fig. 11, a side View of a spiral spring which goes in the pockets of the weight, also in the chambersof the supporting-rods, the chambers of the gaging-beam, and the chambers of the. anchoring bar, as well as in the spring chambers of the housings, and, nally, it serves, by surrounding the supporting-rods at their base, as amedium to soften the force of concussion, as will be hereinafter explained. Fig. 12 is a top view of the coupling-bar, which is made in (No model.)

two pieces of half-round iron, andpasses,when in position, through the end links ofthe weightchains and then through the shackles, and thus supports the weight by a less number of chains than there are spring-rods, the openings in this coupling-bar serving to surround the inner supporting-rods which pass upward through the center of the weight. Fig. 13 is a side view of this coupling-bar; Fig. 14, an end view of the same; Fig. 15, a side View of a spring-chamber which screws into the rear of the gaging-beam, as well as into a cap screwed into the anchoring-bar, and by the slot shown in it allows the rod which is surrounded by the weight chain to work back and forth; Fig. 16, a top view of the same. Fig. 17 is an outside View of a metal cap which serves to hold the spring-chambers to the anchoring-bar, and also to keep the weight-supporting rods together at their upper ends, these ends having the chain-rod slots cut to their outer edges. Fig. 18 is asection of Fig. 17, showing the threaded inside. Fig. 19 isa top view of the weight-plate which supports the bottom of the weight at times upon the springs on the gaging-beam. Fig. 20 is a top or side view of the anged chain-rod, between the Bauges of which the upper ends of the outer supporting-rods go and are kept in position. The intermediate part of this rod passes in the openings of the inner supporting-rods, and, bearing upon the tops of the inclosed springs, supports the Weight-chains which surround it, as shown. Fig. 21 is a side View of the tops of the outer supporting-rods and the spring-chambers of the inner supporting-rods. Fig. 22 is a top view of Fig. 21. Fig. 23 is a side view of a gib whose upturned end is inserted in an opening in the rear of the housings, and is thus held in place. It receives the bearing of the carwheels upon the rails. Fig. 24 is a top view of Fig. 23. Fig. 25 is a side view of a chain-rod, and Fig. 26 an end view. Fig. 27 shows a front view of the bearing-bar for the springs in the pockets of the gaging-beam H, and Fig. 28 an end view of the same. Fig. 29 is a side view of the in- Fig.

IOO

" 30 is an end of the same. Fig. 3l is a front view of part of the housing-faces, and Fig. 32 is an end View of the spiral springs which go in the pockets of the housings. Fig. 33 is an end View of Fig. 20. Fig. 3i is an end view of the weight-plate s.

A represents either rail of a railroad; B, a metal housing with an upper and lower face with laterally-projecting sides, and a longitudinally projecting end adapted to slide thereon. C are inclined-faced bars situated between the tracks A and running parallel with them.

D is an under friction-bar with hooks D', to I5 which the Weight-chains E are attached at their one end.

F is the chainrod which receives the bearing of the chain E at the anchoring-bar G and at the gaging-beannH of the device.

I is a spring-chamber which holds a spiral spring, J.

K are the outer weightsupporting rods,and Lare the inner weight-supporting rods.

M are metal caps whose functions are before mentioned.

N is the weight which is used to restore the housings B to their first position. O is a flanged spring-rod, and P the shackle thereof.

R is the coupling-bar for chains E and shackles P.

S is the weight-plate, which allows the supporting-rods to pass through it when in position.

T is the flanged chain rod or shaft which serves both to allow the chains E to pass over and bear upon it and to keep the outer supporting-rods in position.

U are the gibs which are fastened to the rear of the housings and extend along thetop of the rails. The lugs U upon them serve to keep them in position, and the lugs nearest the housings bear on both sides of the projecting ends of said housings in keeping them down, and thus have an advantage over the .i5 iianges of the car-wheels, which would only bear on one side of these ends.

J are spring-pockets to receive the springs J in the dierent parts of the device. K are pins riveted through the hollow outer supporting-bars K at a distance from their top to allow the spiral springs J to rest. y

C represents an opening in the ends of bedbars G to allow the ends of a cross bearingbar, A', to pass, which holds the springs J in place in the pockets of the gaging-beam H. The ends of this bearing-bar where they hear against the springs are flat, and at their rear face are round to suit the shape of the openings in thebed-bars G,through which they pass. When the forward'ends of the housings are far enough advanced to press against the springs ofthe gaging-bearn,this cross bearingbar receives such pressure and moves back and forth with said springs, and by abutting against the edges of the openings C of the bed-bars C keep these spiral springs from getting out of their pockets. Figs. 27 and 28 show a front view and end View of this bar, respectively.

B' represents a metal plate supported in po- 7o sition in front of the impact-springs of the housings by rods ci a, which pass through openings in the projecting sides of B of the housings,and with the springs Work back and forth, the rods with nutson their ends not allowing -1 the springs to get out of place. There are two under frictionbars, D, which may be connected in any suitable way. A side view of the bed-bars C is shown in Fig. 29 to better advantage. Fig. 30 shows an end view.

The operation of the upper friction bar (marked Z) is that it rises with theadvance of the housings and falls with their retreat. During their advance the upper faces of its ends bear upon the upper part ot' the openings in the housings through which it passes, and its intermediate parts upon the bed-bars C, and thus produces friction. Itisa hollow rectangular-shaped piece of metal, and is at the lower end of the openings in the housings when said housings are at their starting-point, and at the upper end of these openings when the housings are at the end of their throw, explained in my other patents. The spiral springs surrounding iron rods passinglengthwise through the inclined slot in the housings,in which said bar Z rises and falls with the advance and retreat of the housings, serve to retard the ad vance of the device as well as to cushion it.

The operation of the device is as follows: A train of cars moves upon the rails Ain the direction of the arrows, Fig. l, and the end trucks of the first car run first upon the gibs U, and then, abutting against the lower row of pocketed springs upon the housings, are prevented from revolving. Simultaneously with the abut-ting of the trucks the platform ofthe car strikes against the upper row of pocketed springs on each housing, and thus the bo dyot' the car cannot shoot forward when the trucks are held back, (and whether the trucks first abut or not, they will not revolve upon the gibs should the platform first abut.) Immediately thereafter, if the blow be hard enough, the housings advance upon the rails and, producing friction, absorb the blow of the cars in a short distance without jarring. As the housings advance, the weight N is raised, through the medium of the chains E, being fastened to them at their one end and to the rear side of the rear friction-bar at their other end. These under friction-bars at their projecting ends keep the housings from rising from the tracks, and being placed between projecting spiral springs carried in the housings, theserear springs receive the first pressure upon the advance ot' the housings, and then the rear spring-rod, F, Figs. 4 and 5, is borne upon, and in turn the row of springs J in the chambers, screwed bythe caps M into lugs ou the anchoring-bar G, Fig. 4.. This anchoring-bar is held in place by passing within openings C, ofsuitable shape, in the rear ofthe bedbars C, or by Vbeing screwed fast to-the ties of the road. The frontspringrod, F, is next borne upon, and so the other row of springs in these forward chambers, which, with or without the caps M, ymay be screwed into the rear face of the gaging-beam H. N ext the chains go over the flanged rod T, which, if desirable, mayT have a sleeve over the parts where the chains bear to ease the chain in its movements, and then in turn the upper springs in the rods K and L receive the shock; and, lastly,thesprings within the pockets of the weight receive the pressure of the iiange of the rod O, and thus `jarring is overcome in raisingthe weightN suddenly. This end is attained, also, and in agreat measure, by the lowersprin gs surrounding the supporting-rods, as it will be seen that when the jerk of the chains E is very sudden the collapsing of the pocketed springs before mentioned is such that the weight immediately drops instead of rising, andbefore a second jerk is given to the chains, incident to this4 sudden dropping, these lower springs catch the weight and assist in rebounding it as the chains again are hauled taut by the rapid advance of the housings.

The plate S rests upon these last-mentioned springs, and has a small space between it and the bottom of the weight N when the device is at rest at its starting-point. The supportingrods K and Lpass through the openings in this plate before being screwed into openings in the top of gaging-beam H. They are made of ordinary wrought-iron pipe. More than one plate S may be used to regulate the distance between the bottom of weight N and the surv rounding springs, which latter will also receive the shock from the weight in case the chains should break. Vhen the cars retreat, the weight N by gravity causes the housings to return to their starting-point. The gibs U, by receiving the weight of the car, tend to keep the housings dwown at this end, as the blow 'of the platform tends to tilt them. Their thickness is made such as to raise the ears a desired height to allow the iirst brake-beam to pass over` the inclined bed-bars to a desired distance for the housings to advance, and besides being an element in stopping the cars, they are of further use in giving a distance for the drillers of trains to keep oft", as itis preferable that they only be struck (the housings) by accident, as when the cars would run, by miscaleulations in drilling or by slipping of brakes, beyond the end of tracks. The flanged rod- O, Fig. 8, has a hole in its threaded end forinsertion of a spud to tighten or loosen it when in place, that the weight may be lifted evenly by these rods.

The further advantages of the couplingbar R are that, it being in halves, it can be putin and out of place without taking out the other parts, and it unites all the shackles of the tlanged spring-rods with even pressure at one time, and does away with a chain-hook to each shackle, and thus permits any number of springs (that each need a flanged rod and shackle) to be used Without as many chains and hooks. After it is put in halves through the shackles and the end links of the chain, it is by the latter held in position, and its upturned ends serve to keep the end shackles from slipping oft. 1

The advantages ot' the spring-supporting bars passing through the weight will be understood, as the weight in moving up and down would get out of position without them. The outside ones,which are of larger diameter than the inner ones,eXtend within thegrooves on each side of the weight, as shown. The rows of pocketed springs, against which the train iirst strikes, also serve to cushion the blow to the weight, as well as absorbing the shock to the device upon its being struck sud, denly,and their being placed verticallyin rows of pockets a desired and great number of them can be used by simply addingheight to the tapering sidesof the housings, whereas if they were in pockets placed .crosswise a complicated and costly construction of the device would be necessary. The fender-plates B', which bear against thesesprings, beingstruck near their vertical centers, their strength is made such as to compress powerful springs at some distance from such centers. The rods a, instead of passing through the projecting sides B of the housings, may pass centrally through the springs and through an opening to a desired distance within the sides ofthe housings. Finally, should the apparatus ever be struck hard enough tolsend it to the end of its throw, the pocketed springs in the gaging-beam H receive the final pressure.

The operation of the device when struck by atrain of cars can be better understood by knowing that instead of one even and continuous push there is generally a series ot' easy jolts from said cars to the device.

One great advantage of the chain-springs being pocketed with chain-rods to receive the pressure of the chain is that as many springs as are necessary can be used, as well as that by this means we compress said springs instead of distending them, to obviate jarring to a pulling chain, and again by the means shown there is no liability ot' breakage, and, finally, a necessary element is supplied in a simple and cheap way in lifting a weight rapidly. The bed-bars C keep the two lower chain-rods from moving endwise out of place.

Finally, the effectiveness ofthis track-buffer may be easily calculated, (without including the full resisting-power of the springs sur rounding the tension-rods within the slots of the housings)-as, for instance, the blow of a train of six cars and a locomotive running at a speed of ten miles an hour, (which speed they scarcely ever reach in a depot,) the cars weighing eighteen tons each and the locomotive sixty tons, we have a blow of one hundred and twenty-three thousand pounds. Now there are eight poeketed springs on each upper face of the housings where the platforms strike, and four such springs on each lower face where the wheels strike, each spring when ICO fully compressed resisting four thousand seven hundred pounds, (there beingthrcc in cach pocket, the smaller within the larger,) making a total oftwcnty-four springs,equaling one hundredandtwelvethousand eighthundredpounds resistance at these points. After the housings advance somewhat the resisting force of the springs surrounding the tension-rods in the inclined slots of the housings, which springs bear against the upper face of and retard the advance of the upper friction-bar, and thus retarding the device, are brought into play at a pressure each of five thousand pounds, making ten thousand pounds more resist-ance from these parts. Near the end of this pressure the front face of the forward under frictionbar abuts against the rear part ofthe Webs of the front feet of the bed-bars G and the rear pocketed springs in the sides ofthe housings, against which these under friction-bars bear. Both under friction-bars, receiving this pressure when joined together, are in turn effectual, and give a combined resistance of twenty-four thousand pounds, and during this latter resistance the pocketed springs in the gagingbeam pressed against by the front faces of each housing are brought into play with a force when fully collapsed of thirty-four thousand pounds, and thus we have a resisting force in these-springs alone of over one hundred and eighty thousand pounds, Without counting the resisting force of the friction produced by the various elements of the device as it advances upon the rails and bed-bars.' This friction being many times more effective than the resisting force of the springs, which latter, as will be seen, may beincreased, if desired, and as the trains, as before stated, advance by a series of easy jolts, the springs recover themselves a number of times, and as at each collapsing the force of the blow is being absorbed it is almost impossible that the device will ever reach the end of its throw by any blow given by accident in a depot. The ends of the anchoring-bar G, for better security, pass also through the webs ofthe rails A.

Some of the elements may be abandoned and the device as a buffer operated Without them. For instance, the upper fric.ionbar may be dispensed with, and consequently the tensionrods in the inc-lined slots of the housings, though the device then Would not be so effectual; also, if weight N be used in a pit, rods K and L may be left out.

The plates B may be made to suit the shape of the brake-beams and platforms of the cars which strike them, and the end tracks, A, of the road may, if convenient, be put at an ineline, as less Weight will then be required to return the buffer to its first position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination, the tracks A, the housings B, and the attached weight N, said housings adapted to advance and retreat, and the weight N having spring-pockets and supporting-rod openings, the supporting-rods K and L, with connecting chain-rod T, andthe springs J and the chains E, with shackles Pand flanged spring-rod O, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination, the tracks A, the housings B, andv the attached weight N, the housings adapted to advance and retreat, and the weight N having spring-pockets and supporting-rod openings, the supporting-rods K and L, with flanged chain-rod T, the springs J and chains E, with flanged spring-rods O connected to them, and the chain-rods F, with the charnbers I and the springs J, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination, the tracks A, the housings B, and the attached weight N, the housings adapted to advance and retreat, and the weight N having supporting-rod openings, the supporting-rods K and L, and the springs J and chains E, the chain-rods F, with the chambers T and springs J, and the gage-beam H and the anchoring-bar G, adapted to hold the spring-chambers in position, substantially as and for theI purposes set forth.

4. In combination, the tracks A, the housings B, having'spring-pockets carrying springs J, the under friction-bar, D, adapted to bear against the pocketed springs and having hooks D', the attached chains E,`with weight N, the latter having supporting-rod openings, the supporting-rods K and L, with the connectingrod T, the chain-rods F, with the chambers I and their springs, and the gage-beam H and the anchoring bar G, adapted to hold the spring-chambers in place, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination, the tracks A, the housings B, and the attached weight N, said housings adapted to advance and retreat, and the Weight N having spring-pockets and supporting-rod openings, the supporting-rods K and L, with connecting chain-rod T, the springs J, and the chains E, the gage-beam H, adapted to hold spring-chambers I and support the rods K and. L, and the springs surrounding the supporting-rods K and L, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination, the tracks A, the housings B, and the attached weight N, having spring-pockets and supporting-rod openings, the supporting-rods K and L, with connecting chain-rod T, the springs J, and the chain E, the gage-beam H, adapted to hold the supportingrods and the springs surrounding them, and the plate S, interposed between said springs and the Weight, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination of the housings B, adapted to advance and retreat, the connected chains E, and weight N, having attached shackles P, for lifting the same, the weight-supporting rods K and L, and the coupling-bar B, made in halves, with surrounding parts allowing the supporting-rods to pass, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In combination, the rails A andthe housings B, adapted to advance and retreat, the springs J, and the adjustable fender-plates B', supported by said housings, the gage-beam H, adapted to support springs to receive the bearing-bar A', said bearing-bar A, and the bedbars C, with upper friction-bar, Z, and lower friction-bar, D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In combination, the rails A and the housings B, the gibs U, fastened to the ends of the housings and locked thereto by their upturned ends, and adapted to receive the weight of the train and keep the ends of the housings'in place, the friction-bar D, and the bedbars C, with the springs J, and fender-plates B', adapted to move back and forth with their springs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In combination,the rails A, thehousings with a projecting end and with an upper and lower face, having pockets cast therein adapted to contain springs, the said springs J, and the fender-plates B, adapted to move back and forth with said springs, and the gibs Uhaving lugs U attached thereto and serving as a medium by which the device is operated.

11. In combination,the rails A, the housings B, situated thereon, with an upper and lower` vertical face with spring-pockets therein, the springs J, adapted to fit within said pockets and having a fenderplate, B', adapted to move back and forth with said springs, and arod, a, suited to hold the parts in position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In combination, therails A, thehousings B,situated thereon and adapted to advance and retreat, and having vertical faces with springpockets cast therein adapted to contain springs,the said springs J ,and the fender-plates B', adapted to move back and forth with said springs, and having a rod, a, to hold the parts' springs, the springs J, adapted to be held within said pockets and having fender-plates B,su1ted to move back and forth with said springs, and having a rod, a, to hold the parts in position, the attached weight N, with spring-pockets, and its springs J, and the tubular supporting rods K and L, carrying spring-chambers and their springs, with a cross chain-rod and chains, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. In combination, the rails A, the housings B,situated thereon and adapted to advance and retreat, the attached chains E, with weight N, the spring-pockets I, having slots for chainrods F to work back and forth,and With springs J and the chain-rods F, operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

15. In combination, the rails A, the housings B, adapted to advance and retreat, and having springs J and adjustable plates B, with rods a, to hold the parts in place, a crossbar, D, having an independent backand-forth movement when the housings are at rest, and the springs J, to receive the bearing of said cross-bar in its movements, substantially as `and for the purposes set forth. y

16. In combination, the rails A, thehousings B, adapted to advance and retreat, and having springs Jand adjustableplates B,with rods a,

to hold the parts in place, a cross-bar, D, having an independent back-and-forth movement when the housings are at rest, and the springs J, to receive the bearing of said cross-bar in its movements, and the gage-beam H, with its springs J, operated substantially as :and for the purposes set forth.

17. In combination, the housings B,adapted to advance and retreat, and having abutting faces adapted to carry springs J and fenderplates B', said springs and fender-plates and the gaging-beam I-I, with its springs Jand the bearing-bar A interposed between the housings and the gaging-beam springs, and adapted to receive the bearing of said housings and work back and forth, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

R. P. GARSED.

Witnesses:

FRANK B. GARsED, H. M. TsoHUDY. 

